Frank Oz

What happened to: Yoda

Oz continued to branch out into unchartered waters, directing his first heist thriller, “The Score” (2001), led by a powerhouse cast that included Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Marlon Brando and Angela Bassett. But the shoot was plagued by problems, due mainly to the notoriously difficult Brando and his unwillingness to be directed by Oz.

Oz never lost touch with his Muppet beginnings, as he continued performing the beloved characters for “Muppet Show” specials and on the long-running “Sesame Street,” though he did turn down an opportunity to participate in the latest movie, “The Muppets” (2011), over issues with the script and his perception that the filmmakers did not respect the characters.